Olive Community Project Charity Number: 1155574 {For ChoritoblelncorporotedOrgtTnisGtion} Trustees, Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Period l April 2022 to 31 March 2023 January 2024 Scanned with Anyscanner Charity name: Olive Community Project Charity number: 1155574 Charity's operating address.. Olive Branch, 2c Castle Street. Edgeley, Stockport SK3 9AB Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity (Addt¥tro row$ 0$ reqwreLII Trustee N¢m?e Appolrtted Retl￿d I: Rev Stephen Hough Ms Sarah Booth Chair (Jan 23 Rev Ken Livingstone Mrs Margaret Jone5 5.. Mrs Ann Dawber Treasurer (Jan 23) Jan 23 Names & Addresses of Advisors (Delete rcws which orenot relevo•tl Nume Address& Postcode Bank.. The Cooperative Bank PO Box 250. Skelrnersdale, Lancs WN8 6wr Inspector of Accounts Mrs Jane Hollin5 12 Withypool Drive, Stockport SK2 6DT Names of Senior Staff with Delegated Responsibilitles IAdé Èxtro rows 05 required} N¢7me Role Mrs Christine Cheetham Project Manager Scanned with Anyscanner Description of the Charity's Trusts Type of Governing Document: Foundation Model Constitution How the Charity 15 Constituted: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee Selection Methods: Trustees are actively identified from among existin8 trustee networks for their particular ski115 and experience, and invited to stand for election. How New Trustees are Inducted and Trained: Prospective new trustees are invited to 3ttend a board meeting as an observer before deciding whether to stand for election. They are inducted informally through discussion with eyisting trustees and the Project Manager. Summary of the Objects of the Charity as set out In Its Governing Document The objects of the CIO are: l. To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Edgeley, Stockport and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or sooal and economic circumstances or for the public at lar8e in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants. 2. The rellef of those in need, by rea50n of old age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage In Edgeley, Stockport, throu8h signposting or introducing them to health, social and other services, and assisting and supporting them in accessing such services, both through traditional means and via the internet. 3. To promote soci31 inclusion in EdgeSey, Stockport for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society. For the purpose of this clause 'socially excluded, means being excluded from society. or parts of society, as a re5vlt of one of more of the following fattors= unemployment. financial hardship.. youth or old age- ill he3lth (physic21 or mentall,. substsnce abu%e or dependency including alcohol and drugs: discrimination on the grounds of sex. race, disability, ethnic origin, religion, belief, creed, sexual orientation or gender reassignment- poor educational or skills attainment,. relationship and family breakdown. poor housing Ithat is housing that doe5 not meet basic habitable standards,. crime (either as a victim of Crime or as an offender rehabilitating into society) 4. To advance the Christian religion in Edgeley, Stockport for the public benefit by such means as the trustees may determine. Scanned with Anyscanner Summary of the Main Activities Undertaken for the Public Benefit in Relation to the Charity's Object5 Olive Community Projett began operating as a registered charity in January 2014, having emerged from a group of local people who had been talkin& planning and developinE low key, community- focused work for a couple of years before that. OCP had formed in response to recognised needs among the people of Edgeley, a community near central Stockport. Our concern is for those who, for whatever reason, are isolated or excluded, whether because they lack money, skills, good health or access to technology. They have often slipped through the existing formal safety nets. Our mission is to support these people through simple, practical means. This may simply mean listening, helping people access relevant services or develop basic skills. involving them socially and through volunteerin& or offerlng emergency support. Specifically. during the accounting period, OCP carried out the following activities in line with its charitable purpose5: l. Provision of a drop-in centre where lonely member5 of the community are welcome without cost. 2. Provision of workshops for arts, crafts and activities, to develop social interaction and creative 3. We provide some measure of relief for those experiencing financial hardship, for whatever reason, through a foodbank, clothes bank and household equipment store. We liaise with local charity shops, charities and churches to acquire essential furnishings for those who are try&ng to rebuild their lives. 4. A monthly help desk in partnership with TPA, Pure Innovations and Stockport Community and Inclusion Team, sUPPOrting and signposting the local community in areas of housing, benefits, health and debt. 5.we offer a weekly Mental Health self-help group. 6. We offer computers and free wifi for those needing online access for benefits, housing or employment support. We also make appointments for those who have no telephone access, and we help with form filling and letter writing. 7. We use our kitchen to provide breakfast, and take away meals for our homeless visitors and provide laundry facilities to wash and dry clothes and sleeping bags. 8. We process the surplus vegetables delivered to U5 from a local supermarket to make nourishing soups and lunches for our visitors. We also put this food outside the Olive Branch for member5 of our local community to take without the embarrassment of having to ask. 9. We celebrate birthdays with cards and a cake, especially valued by those who have no family to celebrate with. We mourn as a family over those of our visitor5 who pass away, supporting where possible by attending furberals. 10. We offer our surplus food and clothes to other small charities who are supporting the marginalised of our community, women suffering abuse, those inadequately housed and those who are struggling with addictions. Scanned with Anyscanner Support offered during the accounting period (number of people involved): Daily drop-in 30+ Part time paid staff Volunteer leam 14 Activities Knit and Natter Cr3ft activities Advice Desk Food bank in partnership with Chelwood Foodbank plus Mental Health self-help group Olive Sanctuary- jointly, ladies and men for health and wellbeing support Olive Woodland Garden individual gardening on the plot Lunch and sandwich provision delivered for homeless visitors Gazebo Days - re-introduced for fund raising to provide 3 community defibrillator Fundraising for the Olive Branch by personal donations Macmillan Fundraising- personal donations since September 2020 Partnership with 'Loaves and Fishes" Values Olive Community Project is motivated by the inclusive Christian faith of those at its centre. For our inspiration we look to jesus of Nazareth, in particular the Tadical Jesu5 whose intense humanity enabled him to transcend the nationalist, religious, social and Eender boundaries of his day and include into hi5 world those who were otherwise excluded. While some of our volunteers are similarly motivated, we do not exclude people from volunteering for reasons of faith, gender, sexuality, race or age, nor do we restrirt our support on any basis. Scanned with Anyscanner Statutory Declaration The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the commission in exeicising their powers or duties. Summary of the Main Achievements of the Charity forthe Year During the accounting period.. l. The Olive Branch, our shop window on the hiEh street and point of contact with the local community, has held "open days" in the form of gazebo days, inviting shoppers to come and see what we offer. We have used these not only as a point of contact but as a way of raising funds to buy a community defibrillator. Thi5 year we were delighted that our Iranian volunteers formed a band and performed "songs of home" for us, which was an attraction to passers-bv. 2. This year we were able to host two Occupational Therapy students from ShefPield H311am University who were able to observe and offer us their own intervention ot a walking group and led a session of the Mental Health group on CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), Ihe Stre55 Pot and The Worry Tree. 3. Duringthe summer of 2022, we linked with a local church, Stockport 83Ptist Church and a visiting church from New York, Living Faith Christian Church, in participating in 'Fun in the Park" which was a community fun event over several days in a local park. Some of our volunteers and our Olive Branch families joined in this. The teams also took part in hosting a gazebo day and a new initiative known as Mix and Mingle, which has continued on a once monthly basi5, where local support agencies in the area visit the Olive Bfanch to front help desks. Thus It IS Possible for the local community to access help from representatives such as the Police, Age UK. GWP. Housing and Public Health. 4. In November we opened the Olive Branch over lunchtime to join in with the "Warm Space" initiative, providing soup and sandwiches and the favourite bacon butties. We were also needed to help with supporting phone calls for those who were unable to access adequate heating. At this point our"Clothes Banw, w35 in demand providing extra layers of clothes, blankets, scarves, hats and gloves. 5. We continued to collect and sort clothes, working in partnership with Loaves and Flshes. providing for our community but also for local asylum seekers and those who were being housed in the Britannia Hotel. During this winter there was a very obvious need for sleeping bags and tents and we were very grateful for the donations from members of local churches and charity groups such as "The Lamplighters" We were also able to distribute 3 great number of Christmas presents to asylum seekers, children in the hotel, as well a5 to other families in need. 6. We encountered a new crisis during this period, which was local people living in inadequate, rented housing, and facing issues with damp, broken boilers and no electricity. We were called ijpon to write to local councillor5 and MP5 and act as intermediaries for the growing number of the voicele55 in our community. 7. Ouring the13ter period of last year, the property next to the Olive Blanch became vacant, and it was decided to facilitste the acquisition of the property in partnership with Chelwood Foodbank Plus and to move our current Foodbank into that property. This created room for an office and counselling space in Olive Branch and an emergency Foodbank service whilst linking with Chelwood Community Hub next door, to continue our 5ignpostin8 service for those whose needs were more complex than just food. 8. The . Hub'is also used by Loaves and Fishes as a base for a counselling and support service for asylum seekers, together with an ethnic Foodbank. This has been of great advantage to asylum Scanned with Anyscanner seeking visitors to the Olive Branch, as there is an immediacy to understanding and supplying need which did not exist previouslv. 9. One of our volunteers M has struggled to survive while bringing up seven children. always drowning in debt and fighting drug and alcohol addiction. After working as a volunteer in the Olive Branch she felt She needed to return to work, growing dis53tisfied with many years of existing on benefits. She took the brave decision to tr3ir+ with Stagecoach to become a bus driver, battling with the rigours of c1355room training which she had not experienced since leaving School, 36 years previously. M had to manage on a training salary and working shifts, but she Showed great determination, paying off historic debts, and faclng the challenges of many tests. She is now a fully qualified driverl M is still part of OCP, calling in for a coffee when she is working split shifts. She has become a great role model for other visitors who are broken and defeated. She is happy to share both her triumphs and her struggles. Scanned with Anyscanner Brief Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves The trustees have not agreed a reserves policyi believing the current levels of income and expenditure, and the nature of the charitys artivities, do not mertt one at present. Financial Review Details During the accounting period, income of £25,685 lagEed expenditure of £35,033, a deficit of £9.348. This has resulted in depleted unrestricted funds at year end, now standing at £6488 compared with £22,810 the previous year, B Situation the Trustees feel is a more appropriate level. Alongside that, restricted funds now stand at £8249, which is mostly available for the coming year's investment in it5 worlc with people facing mental health issue5. Historically. the bulk of the charl￿$ unrestricted income has been from regular giving by a number of individuals to whom we are very grateful, alongside one or two small 8rant-m3king trusts who make regular welcome contributions Wlth 'no strings attached, The charivs partnership arrangement with Futurekraft, a funding and development agency, continued to work towards securin8 additional funding ffom several grant-making bodies. The following grants were received. Awarding body Amount Purpose Awards for All 9998 Mental Health Group For Jan- Dec 23 ASOA 1300 Food for community Dec 22- Mar 23 Several other bids were successful, for work planned during April 23- Mar 24. Scanned with Anyscanner NotliinE to declare. Rlsk Management (lie c.li*irlty woi'ks, a rlsk ¢issessi)ioiil of di( y-tc)-dilV 011-sIILJ Ilsks hli s boei) devolopod lo onsiire Il)c.' S¢ifety ol ste0b3l￿¢1$wmh rèceio6￿d PitrlnEnls xowlls Unrestrictsd fund5 to nearest £ R¢$lricled fund$ ne•r¢$t£ Endowment funds to nearest£ Details Fund towhl¢h assetbelon C￿r{entV1Iue tional Details C05t{optrofiall B3 Investment ass•ts Fund towhich a55etbelongs K￿hen Fund Oetails tcben ¢ost{optiofftAII Curienl value B4 Assets retaoned forth¢ charity's own use T¢Alpt Inslayaion Tthl8tFund Fund lo whlc tss Details Arnountdtsv lopNonalJ Vlhen d￿? B5 LlabllStle5 Signed byone ortsvotiustte¥ on behaifof 411 the Iru51ees Signature Print Name Dale of roval Is CCXX R2 accovnts ISSI 19105k023 Scanned with Anyscanner CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WAIES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examlnevs Report Report to the trusteesldirectorsl membèrs of o liv* (o F/Ls £ On ae¢ounts for the year ended Mqrt Charity no.: Iiffr?+ Company no.: Set out on pages I report lo the charity trLislees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's tfuslees of Ihe Company l%tho are also Ihe directors of the company lor the purposes of company18wI, you are responsible for the preparation ol the accounts in accordance with the requirements of Ihe Companie5 Act 20061.the 2006 Acl'l. Having salisfied myself that Ihe accounts of the Company are nol required lo be audiled for this year under Part 16 01 the 2006 Acl and are eligible for independenl examination, I report in respect of my examination of your harily s accounts as carried out under section 145 01 the Charities Act 2011 1.the 2011 Acl"l- In carrying Out my examination. I have followed the Directions given by the Charily Commission (under section 1451511bl of the 2011 Act. Independent oxaminer's statement I have completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come lo my attenlion {olher Ihan that disclosed below ') which gives me cause lo believe Ihal.. accounting recor¢Js were not kept in accordance with Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006., or the accounts do nol accord with such records., or the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement Ihal the accounts give a 'lrue and lair, view which is not a malleT considered as part of an independent èxamination., or .the awounls have not been prepared In accordan￿ with the Charilies SORP IFRS1021. IER October 2018 Scanned with Anyscanner I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accoun15 to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not appty. Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualificatlonls) or body (if anyl: Address: 12 LVLrH YPOOts l)Bibl Section B Di5c105ure Only Complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of con￿rn (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018 Scanned with Anyscanner